The present invention relates to electrical connectors. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of electrical connectors for printed circuit boards.
It is well known in the art to provide an electrical connector which includes contacts having solder tails which may be soldered to the solder pads of a printed circuit board (PCB). The connectors of the prior art provide connectors housings having the electrical contacts securely retained therein so that once the connector is soldered to the PCB the connection is non-removably affixed to the PCB.
Should the PCB require rework, the typical approach for effecting recovery of the PCB requires cutting the contacts proximate to the solder tails to separate the remainder of the connector from the PCB, and then severing the solder connection between the PCB and the solder tail by applying heat or by other method known in the art. The PCB could then be cleaned and reworked so that a new connector could be mounted to the solder pads of the PCB. In these rework procedures, however, the removal of the connector tends to result in the twisting of the contacts while cutting the solder tails. Twisting of the contacts can translate through the solder pads of the PCB to cause scratching and delamination of the PCB, or lifting or detaching of the solder pads from the PCB. Such damage can render the PCB un-reusable.
There is therefore a need in the art for a connector design which provides a quick release between the contacts and the housing so as to minimize the damage to or delamination of the PCB pad during rework. This new design would obviate the need for cutting the contact while it remains soldered to the PCB by providing access to detach the contacts from the housing. This new design would thereby eliminate the chance of damage to or delamination of the masked surfaces of the PCB by the cutting process.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector the housing of which may be easily detached from the contacts contained therein.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector for a PCB which minimizes the chance of damage to the PCB or its solder pads during rework of the PCB.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a connector for a PCB which obviates the need for cutting of the solder tails connecting the connector to the PCB.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a connector for a PCB which facilitates the recovery process.
These and other objects are obtained by the present invention by providing a connector having a releasable connector housing. The connector supports a number of elongate contacts in a number of elongate cavities defined by the connector housing. Each contact includes a solder tail at one end, a deflectable wiping connection element at the other end, and a contact body therebetween. The contact body includes a deflectable tang extending acutely therefrom in interfering engagement with a locking shoulder extending in the cavity. The housing also defines a tang access aperture in communication with each cavity so as to render each tang accessible therethrough. A separation tool having a prong for each tang may engage the housing through each access aperture to deflect the tangs away from the interfering engagement with the locking shoulders. With each tang simultaneously out of interfering engagement with the locking shoulders, the housing may be separated from the contacts while the contacts are still soldered to a printed circuit board. The solder tails may then be disconnected from the printed circuit board without the need for cutting the contacts.